Moors marked Rob Ramshaw’s Testimonial with a 2-1 win over National League Gateshead to round off pre-season with a victory.

Junior Mondal opened the scoring early with a cool finish into the bottom right corner, before Richie Bennett doubled the lead with just a minute of the first half remaining. Gateshead pulled one back through As Boatswain in the second half, but not enough to avoid defeat.

Tommy Miller’s side started the game positively as Cam Salkeld forced an early corner for Moors, before making Pete Jameson rise highest to claim a looping ball into the area.

Moors took the lead though Mondal with just 13 minutes on the clock. The visitors failed to clear their lines inside the area, allowing the number 11 to slide a ball into the bottom right corner via the post.

The Heed looked to hit back immediately, as Billy Chadwick struck an effort from the edge of the area, but a good block from Ben Pollock saw the strike deflected wide of the Moors goal.

Matty Dolan took aim on the 20th minute, but his drilled effort rolled wide of the left post, before Dan Jones was called into action to slide in front of a powerful effort from Fenton John.

A good move from Lee Cattermole’s men saw Harry Chapman cut into the area from the left hand side before letting fly. His strike, however, was comfortably swallowed up by the trialist goalkeeper.

It was the goalkeeper’s turn to take action soon after, as he clawed away a dangerous looking attempt from Gateshead’s John.

Moors went on to double the lead with a minute to go in the first half as Richie Bennett continued his fine pre-season form. A brilliant scooped ball to the far post from Campbell Darcy met the head of the number 26, who nodded the ball downwards and into the far bottom corner of the net.

It could’ve been three to the good just after the break, but a slip from Campbell Darcy just inside the area allowed the visitors to clear the danger.

Both sides saw efforts go wide soon after, as Mondal and a Gateshead trialist failed to hit the target.

The Heed managed to pull one back with 13 minutes to go as Ash Boatswain smashed the ball home into the bottom right corner, setting up a tense ending to the game.

Gateshead almost found their equaliser just 7 minutes later, as a trialist managed to burst into the Moors penalty area, only to put his final effort wide of the left post.

A positive end to pre-season as focus now shifts onto next week’s opening day of the season fixture away to Morecambe.

Full time: Moors 2 Gateshead 1

Moors: Trialist, Jones, Pollock, Whelan, Salkeld (Dawson 74), Dolan, Jenkins, Darcy, Mondal (Trialist 65), Ramshaw (Miller 89), Bennett

Subs not used: Robson, Beals, Raine, Trialist, Trialist

Referee: Tyler Dutton

Attendance: 641

Written by Noah Betts